1. Technical Field
Crushers are used to crush larger aggregate and ore particles (e.g., rocks) into smaller particles. One particular type of crusher is known as a cone crusher. A typical cone crusher includes a frame supporting a crusher head and a mantle secured to the head. A bowl and bowl liner are supported by the frame so that an annular space is formed between the bowl liner and the mantle. In operation, larger particles are fed into the annular space between the bowl liner and the mantle. The head, and the mantle mounted on the head, gyrate about an axis, causing the annular space to vary between a minimum and a maximum distance. As the distance between the mantle and the bowl liner varies, the larger particles are impacted and compressed between the mantle and the bowl liner. Through a series of blows, the particles are crushed and reduced to the desired product size, and then discharged from between the mantle and the bowl liner.
The throw of the cone crusher is the difference of the maximum distance between the bowl liner and the mantle (the open side setting) and the minimum distance between the bowl liner and the mantle (the closed side setting). Typically, the throw of a cone crusher is set by the degree of eccentricity of the eccentric member which transforms the rotational motion of a drive member into the gyrating motion of the head and mantle. It is possible, however, to vary the throw of the cone crusher. To change the throw in such a typical cone crusher, an eccentric member with a different degree of eccentricity must be substituted for the original eccentric member.
2. Related Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,053, which issued to Ganser, IV, discloses a cone crusher with adjustable stroke. In this cone crusher, a stroke control assembly is adjustable to change the angular motion of the crusher head relative to the central crusher axis to change the stroke (or throw) of the crusher head with respect to the bowl assembly.